[Info-vax] DECnet connection problem

[Kenneth Fairfield]

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011 8:23:32 AM UTC-7, Dennis Grevenstein wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Maybe someone can help on a DECnet problem.
> I have the following setup:
> Alpha running 8.3
> emulated VAX running 7.3
> emulated VAX running 5.5
> The problem is that 8.3 and 5.5 can't talk via DECnet.
> 7.3 can talk to 5.5 and 8.3. Both emulated machines
> run on the same physical box. all machines can connect
> to each other using tcpip. When I SET HOST from 8.3
> to 5.5 I just get a timeout. Everything is on the same
> ethernet.

OK, basics first:

DECnet versions (Phase IV or V on each systems)?
The VAX 5.5 will certainly be Phase IV.  I *expect*
the VAX 7.3 will also be Phase IV but could be Phase V.

On the Alpha, you're likely to have Phase V.  I seem to
recall that in early Alpha releases, there was a saveset
to install Phase IV instead of Phase V, but I have no
idea about v8.3.

For Phase V, you need to load the local database with 
the v5.5 system's DECnet nodename and address (wrong
terminology, but I don't have a Phase V system at hand
to give precise answers).  

Finally, do you have any routers or switches between the
systems?  Most modern routers *don't* bridge (or route) 
DECnet traffic. A simple switch ought to be OK.

    -Ken